- Chrysler recalls 17,277 Pacifica Hybrid models over a potential battery fire risk.
- Owners are advised not to charge affected vehicles until repairs are completed.
- The issue appears linked to battery cells supplied by LG Energy Solution.
If there’s one thing Chrysler should have figured out by now, it’s the Pacifica Hybrid. The minivan has been carrying the brand’s ambitions for years and remains the closest thing Chrysler has to a flagship in showrooms. That’s what makes a new recall affecting 17,277 examples particularly awkward, especially since owners are being told to stop charging them and park them away from buildings.
The recall, which lands on the same day Jeep is recalling more than 1.3 million Wranglers and Gladiators worldwide over an unrelated fire risk, covers certain 2020-2022 Chrysler Pacifica PHEVs fitted with high-voltage battery packs.
Also: Over 1.3 Million Jeeps Can Catch Fire Even When Parked And Switched Off
To be fair to Chrysler, the company says the problem appears tied to battery cells built on an alternative assembly line at supplier LG Energy Solution. Those cells can fail internally, the automaker says, potentially leading to thermal runaway and a vehicle fire. Chrysler estimates that roughly one percent of the affected vehicles may actually carry the defect.
According to recall documents, four known fire incidents involved batteries built with cells from that limited-production line. Due to the seriousness of the risk here, Chrysler’s advice is pretty straightforward: Park outside… park away from buildings…. and don’t charge the vehicle. That combination suggests that fire risk isn’t necessarily limited to when the vehicle is on or charging.
At this point, both Chrysler and LG have gone to work trying to sort out the root cause of the issue for several months. According to documents filed with the NHTSA, neither company is totally sure of the cause at this time. For now, Chrysler’s remedy is a combination of software and hardware fixes.
Dealers will update the Battery Pack Control Module with new software designed to monitor conditions that could lead to a fire. Vehicles will then be inspected, and battery packs replaced if necessary. The automaker is also offering an unlimited-year, unlimited-mileage warranty extension for customers who experience battery warning messages related to the defect.
Read: Chrysler’s Already Slashing 2027 Pacifica Pricing A Month After Its Debut
Dealer notification letters will begin shipping out on June 11. Owners won’t get similar messaging until at least June 23. This is a tough situation for Chrysler, considering that this appears to be more of a supplier issue than something it missed in-house. On top of that, there appear to be fewer than 10 events that led to this recall, which now encompasses over 17,000 vehicles. But when the risk is something as dangerous as a battery fire, this is the only move.
